Nashville for Free

Sometimes one in-store just isn’t enough. Today is one of those days. Yep, this afternoon Grimey’s will be bringing you free, intimate performances by a pair of pretty awesome bands.

The first up is Fanfarlo at 4pm. Fanfarlo is a British band that “fuses elements of folk, indie rock and post-punk using eclectic instrumentation including trumpet, violin, mandolin, musical saw and clarinet.” The show is a little earlier than most, but if you can make it out for this set I HIGHLY suggest that you do.

Then, at 6pm Scissormen will take the room. Scissormen will be releasing their new CD/DVD set entitled BIG SHOES: Walking and Talking the Blues. According to Grimey’s, “the movie captures the Nashville-based contemporary juke blues band on tour in the midwest and is part road movie, part concert film and part blues history lesson.” It sounds pretty awesome. Absolutely worth sticking around after Fanfarlo for.

-Emily

In an effort to break all of our diets, Gigi’s Cupcakes is giving away free mini cupcakes at all of their Nashville and Franklin locations this Saturday.

The free cupcakes will be given away from 12pm-6pm. Get some.

-Emily

The Frist Center always does an awesome job picking movies that relate to its exhibits when it does a film series. They currently have an exhibit called Fairy Tales, Monsters, and the Genetic Imagination, so they created the Unexpected Tales film series to complement it.

Tonight’s film in that series is Pan’s Labyrinth, a Guillermo del Toro classic. I’ve never seen it, but it has a sunning 95% approval ratting on Rotten Tomatoes and a quick look at the trailer proves that it’s spooky and weird as any film you’ll ever see. A perfect fit for the exhibit it’s accompanying.

Here’s the synopsis:

In 1944 fascist Spain, an imaginative young girl, along with her pregnant mother, begins a new life with her stepfather, a fierce captain of the Spanish army. At night she meets a fairy who leads her to a faun in the center of a labyrinth. The faun informs her that she is a princess and can only prove this by undertaking three grim tasks. If she is successful she will meet with her real father, the King. If she is not successful, she will never be a princess. The young girl is thrust into living two lives: one that is dark and oppressive and another that is terrifying yet alluring.

The film starts at 7pm at the Frist Center. Get there early, as the best seats and popcorn are served on a first-come, first-served basis.

-Emily

Parnassus Books is doing a fantastic job stepping up to fill in the massive hole that formed with the end of Davis-Kidd, especially in the events department. They’ve brought some great national and local artists to their store to speak about and sign their books. and tonight they not only bring another, they bring swag and more from Algonquin Books.

Tonight from 6-8pm at Parnassus, Algonquin Books will be there with complimentary titles, free tote bags, wine, and a chance to win $150 in Algonquin titles of your choice.

On top of all that, Robert Goolrick, the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, A Reliable Wife, will be there too!

Basically, this is a must-attend event for book lovers. Save some swag for me!

-Emily

If you haven’t heard about or seen the KONY 2012 video in the past week or two then you must not spend a lot of time on the internet.

The new video by Invisible Children highlights the devastating regime of the war criminal and rebellion leader Joseph Kony. What’s so bad about this guy? He uses child soldiers. He kidnaps these kids and creates what we call the Invisible Children.

If you haven’t seen the video or want to see it on a screen bigger than your computer then you’re in luck. The Belcourt is hosting a rental screening of KONY 2012 (presented by Her Passion Ministries) at 7:30pm tonight. Make sure you reserve your seat in advance. This is a popular subject and a popular film by a well-known (albeit controversial) organization.

I assume seeing the film in the public environment, presented by an actual organization will come with the benefit of being presented with ways to take action or help. Which, you know, we as a whole should probably do more.

-Emily

Jim White is a described by Grimey’s as a “zen master” and a “lyrical genius” who “distills life into a few phrases that can floor you with pithy insights.” I can personally attest to the fact that he is very good. His new album Where it Hits You is out now and he’s playing a few record stores on his way to SXSW!

It starts at 6pm and is free and all-ages, as always.

-Emily

Lilly Ledbetter might not have set out to be an activist, but her fight for equal pay has made it easier for women across America to find out and take action against wage discrimination.

Yep, she’s the Lilly Ledbetter from the Lilly Ledbetter  Fair Pay Act of 2009 - also known as the first bill Barack Obama signed into law.

Tuesday, March 13th from 6-8pm, Lilly Ledbetter will be speaking at Vanderbilt University, delivering the Cuninggim Lecture on Women in Culture and Society. She’ll be telling her story in a talk titled “Grace and Grit: My Experience with Equal Pay for Equal Work.”

The event is free and open to the public, but you have to RSVP here.

-Emily

Readers with children, I know you exist. I also know you have to work pretty hard to find good, inexpensive entertainment out with your kids.

Regions bank wants to help. Today beginning at noon, Regions will be giving away 500 free tickets to the Nashville Children Theatre’s The Beauty and the Beast (today’s 4pm performance) as part of their “Free Days” program. Man, we sure do love those Regions Free Days.

You can get these free tickets at noon today online at www.nashvillechildrenstheatre.org or by phone at (615)252-4675. Reservations are limited to four tickets per family. All tickets will be held at will-call and you can start lining up at 3pm.

-Emily

If you haven’t heard the Westbound Rangers yet then you must not get out to a lot of the free and cheap music shows in Nashville. I mean, these guys get around. From Musicians Corner to Music City Roots to their own shows, these guys have performed their special brand of bluegrass all over Nashville.

But here’s your chance to redeem yourself if you haven’t seen them and relive the awesomeness if you have. Tonight at 7pm Westbound Rangers are playing a free show at 3rd and Lindsley to celebrate their fourth birthday (happy birthday!). Yup, totally free. That means you get to see some fantastic traditional bluegrass played by some talented young dudes around a single mic.

This isn’t your great-grandfather’s bluegrass, but he’d probably really enjoy it. It’s all about musicianship and the songs for the Westbound Rangers, and you have to give them props for that.

-Emily Harris

Is there anything more glorious than waking up to a stack of fresh, warm pancakes? As it turns out, there is. Free pancakes from IHOP, and tomorrow is the day that warm, fluffy, sugary dream comes true.

Tomorrow, Feb. 28th, IHOP is celebrating National Pancake Day, a holiday that I’m pretty positive they made up for marketing purposes, but I don’t care. On that day only IHOP will give you a free short stack of pancakes when you ask for them. Absolutely free. All they ask is that you consider leaving a little donation for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other designated local charities. Since 2006 IHOP has raised over $8 million on National Pancake Day and today they’re hoping to raise $2.7 million. They’ll be serving up the pancakes for free until 10pm, sorry night owls and college students pulling all-nighters.

So go forth, my friends, and feast on free pancakes! Perhaps donate a little bit of money to charity, and be mindful of the serving staff, for they may deserve a tip.

-Emily